Seamless stocking and method of making the same



P. EmimmmH SEAMLESS STOCKING AND METHOD OF E'IAKlNG THE SAME Filed Om, 1922 .fia rv 1971/30 7 Qeorgel B06200 rih,

a9 @wyw Patented Apr, 21, .1925.

hill {2 63 QlQ GEORGE P. BUS'WQRTH, 02 CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSZG-NOR TO HEMPETLL CC-MRQNY, E CENTRAL FALLS, OHUSETTS.

R'HODE ISLAND, A. CORPORATION 0'13 MASSA- SEAML'ESS STQCKING AND METHOD 0]! MAKING THE SAM'E.

Application filed fictober 14, 1922. Serial No. 584,519.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that, I, Gnoncn P. Boswonrx-z,

a citizen of the United States, and a resiings is a specification, like characters on the stocking may be drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to stockings and to the method or" making the same.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, I have dis closed in the accompanying drawing one embodiment oi the invention and will describe the best mode known to me for practising thesame.

In the drawing,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodi ment of my invention;

Fig. 52 is a somewhat diagrammatic representetion indicating one manner of knitting the reinforcing stripe at the rear of the stocking; and Figs. 3 and l are details in side elevation representing modifications hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the single embodiment of the invention selected for illustration, the begnn at the top 1 of the leg or at the top 2 of the toe. I will first describe the stocking as knitted beginning at the top of the leg upon a circular series of needles which may be of any type, but which preferably are spring beard needles mounted for independent reciprocation in the grooves of the needle cylinder of any suite. le machine, such, for example, as n Banner machine, which may make the foot by rotary work or may make a socalled split foot stocking. Any suiteble number elf needles may be employed and the relative number used in making the different parts may be varied. The numbers hereinefter given are by Way of example merely.

It will be assumed that the knitting is commenced upon a circle of 240 needles, and is continued down by rotary knitting to the top of the heel at the line 3, 4, though Within the scope of my invention spli Work may be commenced at any desn'ed point in the ankle, in which case the tapered .high splice may be formed prior extending line of "ting operation.

to the commencement of split Work, and as hereinafter indicated, the high splice may be formed -by reciprocating work. In the present disclosure, however, while I have indicated by the line 4, 5, the formation of the foot by split Work, I have not indicated the formation of the ankle by split work, though, stated, this may be done.

Desirably beginning either at the extreme top of the stocking or at the bottom of the welt or garter portion of the stocking (the latter being shown in Fig. 1 and the former in Fig. 3), I form a reinforcing stripe 6 as shown from the point '3 at the bottom of point 8 which is at the apex of the pointed or triangular high splice reinforcement 9. The said-stripe 6 may be formed in any suitable manner, but preferably by introducing a reinforcing yarn 10 to or with the main yarn 11 for a suitable number of needles at both sides of the back median line 12 of the stocking. The said reinforcing yarn 10 may be interknitted with the needles throughout the lateral and longitudinal extent of the stripe from edge to edge of said stripe, and at the end loops in a course of said stripe, said reinforcing may be floated back as indicated at 13 to the opposite edge of the stripe so as to reintroduce the, yarn for the next partial course of the stripe.

The reinforcing yarn 10 may he introduced to the needles in any Suitable manner, .as by means of a special or separate yarn guide or finger, a cam being provided to divide the needles-s0 as at the proper point to leave elevated only those needles which are to take the reinforcing yarn, said yarn and the main yarn being interknitted at the knitting poin Desirablyl provide it mock seam along the median line of the stripe 6, such seam the Welt or garter portion to the of each series of being of any suitable character as, for example, a line of sewing machine stitches or a tuck stitches'formcd during the knit- I have indicated a mock seam of either .type at l4 in'Fig. 1. For the details of both said types I refer to the patent to Rufus W. Scott, No. 1,491,757, dated April 22, 1924. If a mock seemof sewing machine stitches be employed, the stocking after completion or removal from the knitting'machine is run through a. suitablesewing machine, and the floating threads 14 maybe manipulated or supported as desired during the sewing operation.

It will he assumed that the-knitting has been completed of a rotary character down to the point 8 and that the stripe 6 has been formed therein. 1 now proceed to form the pointed or triangular hi gzh splice reinforcement 9. While this may he done by introducing the reinforcing thread 10 for successively greater portions of a series oi partial courses from the point 8 down to the line 3, at, 1 preferably proceed in a different manner, as follows:

I now throw out of action while permitting them to retain their loops, the front half of the needles or so- *alled instep needles, about 120 in number in the present example, and extending from the point at .around to the corresponding point at 'the opposite side of the stocking as indicated by the line 15. In addition I throw out or". action at each side of the back half or" the needles, about forty-eight. needles in the present example, extending from the point 8 at each side of the stocking. over to the series of instep needles. This leaves in action. according, to the present example. labout twenty-tour needles at. the hack of the stocking. but this number may be less or more, depending upon the width of the stripe (3. The number of needles remaining in action should, for the best results, be the same nun'iher, and in factthe same needles to which the reinforcin'g yarn 10 was presented. The knitting has at this time been completed down to the. line 8, 4, 15. This angular line is, while the stocking is in the machine, a transverse line, but after the stocking has been removed from the machine and washed and hoarded, such angular line. assumes the direction or position indicated in Fig. 1."

I then lmit reciprocatingly upon said twenty-fruit or other selected number of needles, and then widen by bringing into action an additional needle at each end of the active series in successive courses, thus cliccting a widening from the point 8 to the point 4- on each side of the stocking along the inclined suture scam 8'. This creates a gore which is an integral continuation of the tubularly knit portion of the stocking and which is as herein shown 01 a tapered form. The yarn or yarns employed in knitting said gore or tapered high splice 9 may be the main yarn 11, and the reinforcing: yarn 10, or a different reinforcing: yarn may he substituted for the formation of the gore 9, bcin employed with the main yarn 11.

When l begin to knit. the gore or hi h splice Ll desirably shorten the stitch length for the entire ankle portion, so as somewhat to shape. the stocking in this way.

Upon. the completion of the gore or h gh area splice 9, I then form the heel pocket 16 in the usual manner by narrowing: and widening, and I then form the foot either by rotary work upon the entire series of needles, or by split work in which case the top 17 of the foot and the sole 18 are produced by separate yarns connected along: the suture line if at each side of the loot. In either the instep needles are restored to action upon the completion of the heel line 15. The t e 20 is formed in the usual manner by a narrowing and widening action, and the stocking is seamed along the top of the toe.

The stocking is desirably knitted of sill; excepting for the reinforcing yarns, and excepting for the sole of the foot, it the foot he formed by split work. After the stocking is knitted, it is preferably boiled to remote the gum from the silk and may be dried upon a forming board. I have stated that the stitches for the gore 9 may be shortened. in addition thereto or instead thereof l may and preferably do shape the heel; of the ankle by cutting out narrow strip at the extreme back of the high splice or gore 9 and extending" the length of such high splice or gore. as lZ1( icated at 21 in Fig. l, and then i seam up the and in such case such seam constitutes a portion of or merges into the mock seam i l it the latter he made as a line of sewing machine stitches.

instead of beginning: the knitting at the top of the leg the operation may he reversed and the knitting begun at the toe, in which case the series of steps described would be reversed and need not he described in de tail, it being merely necessary to state that when the top of the heel is reached, 1 pro ceed by a narrowing: action to form the gore or high splice i), utter the completion of which the which have occn thrown out or" action and which retain their icons are restored to action, the instep needles being also restored tmaction, and then the knitting of the leg: and including the front part of the ankle is proceeded with, the stripe 6 being formed as already described. Vvhen knitting in this manner the gore or high splice $2 may be shaped in any of. the ways already descrihed. It will be noted that it the gore or high splice 9 he formed either by a widening or by a narrowing action, the seam upon each side of the stock in extending" from the point 8 to the point 4 is an actual narrowing or widening seam, and therefore gives a better finish or produces a hetter effect than in the case of the raw ends of a splicing yarn severed to remove the floating yarns.

The reinforcing yarn used in hnitting: the gore or high splice 9 may he. continued down through the narrowed portion of the heel, whereupon another yarn may be substituted, or the said reinforcing yarn used in knitting along the.

' msmeo and not forpurposes of iimimtion, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following oioims.

'Cioims:

1. A seamless smoking having ii heel formed of fashioned periisi courses and also having at the rear thereof n i'eiativeiy narrow reinforcing stripe, extending substantially throughout that portion of the stocking exposed in Wear, said stocking also having a tapered goi'o of exira portia'i courses oi? varying length just above "the heel and there constituting a tapered high spiioe and also oonsituting a oontinustion of said reinforcing stripe and of suhstam ially the width of saiii stripe at the apex of said high splice gore. I

2. A seamless stocking having a, heel formed of fashioned partial courses and also 11min at the rear iheroof as relatively narrow reinforcing sfiiipo extonding substantieiiy throng-how; ivhot porsion of the stocking" expose in Wimi, sindi shocking also having o tapered goro of more porosicourses of varying iength just ohove the heel and thore oonstituimg & tapered high splice and also oonsiaituiing a continuation of soi reinforcing stripe and of substantially the width of sei swipe 52$ sho of said high splice gore said stocking also having a. mock seam extending salon said stripe and of semi high splice ore.

3. That method of knitting a shocking" coinprisini kniting a tubuiar leg and don ing the Formation thereof introducing a reinforcing yarn to s relatively small n1nn- 45 box: of needles at the back of the leg to form a roiotiveiy nori'ow iengthwise stripe extending substan ziaily throughout the length of the smoking exposed in wear to the top of the high sniice area, and also forming a, so

tapered high splice reinforcement as a gore, by a. Widening operation, thereby providing 52 tapered high spiioe gore having sloping seamed edges exbenciing to the top of the heoi and knitting theheei by a narrowing 55 omi Widening operation.

4. That methoii of Pnitiing a shocking comprising knitting a tubular leg and during she formation thereof introducing areinforcing yarn to a reia tively small mam her of needles at the back of the leg to form ii relatively narrow lengthwise stripe extending snbstsnfiialiy throughout the length of the smoking exposed in Wear to the top 'of the high splice area, and also forming a mpered high splice reinforcement} as & gore by e Widening operation, thereby providing o tapered high splice gore having sloping seomoi'i migos extending to the top of the heel, and imiting 'che heei by is rim-rowing and Widening operofiion, and foi ming a mock seam. along the median line of the said reinforcing ships and said high splice gore. In 'eesinnony Wheroof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' GEGRGE P. BOSWQRTH.

the median line of w 

